A Cross-Sectional Study of the Relationship Between Mental Health Problems and Overweight and Obesity in Adolescents

Abstract

Background: There is a suggested coexistence between obesity and mental health discomfort in adolescence. The objective of this study was to explore if mental health indices covaried with body mass index (BMI) in adolescence and if there were gender-related disparities. Methods: Data were collected in two cross-sectional surveys of 10th-grade students (15 to 16 years old) carried out in 2002 and 2017. The questionnaires included self-reported height and weight, questions covering mental health using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), lifestyle, and sociodemographic variables. We estimated the associations between SDQ subscale scores and BMI and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in linear and logistic multivariable models. We also estimated the extent to which gender modified these associations. Results: BMI was positively associated with peer problems [beta (β): 0.08, (95% confidence interval 0.01, 0.14)], indicating that for every point increase in peer problems subscore, BMI increased by 0.08 kg/m 2. The association between internalizing (i.e., peer and emotional) problems and BMI and conduct problems and BMI was different for boys and girls (p < 0.05 for all effect modifications). Conclusion: In this repeated cross-sectional study across 15 years, we found that peer problems were associated with BMI in Norwegian adolescents. We also found that there is a possibility that adolescent boys and girls report different mental health symptoms related to increased BMI. This finding implicates a need for gender-specific attention when assessing risk factors for increased BMI in adolescents.

Self-Reported Eating Speed Is Associated with Indicators of Obesity in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…According to the WHO, obesity is continuously growing worldwide and has tripled in the last forty years [1]. Its relationship with noninfectious diseases, e.g., diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and metabolic syndrome, reducing life expectancy and quality of life, are well known [2,3]. The revealed obesity-related markers presented in the literature have been widely reported.…”

“…The revealed obesity-related markers presented in the literature have been widely reported. Among the mentioned markers, a sedentary lifestyle [4], socioeconomic factors [5], genetics [6], microbiome [7], psychological well-being [2], endocrine regulation [3], family and education influence [8,9], dietary behaviours such as skipping breakfast [10], snacking [11] and meal regulations [12][13][14] are prominent. Despite confirmed associations between obesity and its markers, there is a constant search for (and analysis of) new dependencies to manage and slow the 21st-century epidemic.…”

Çocuk ve ergen psikiyatri polikliniğine başvuran olguların beden kitle indeksi, beslenme tutum ve davranışları: duygusal ve davranışsal sorunlarla ilişkisi

“…Klinik örneklemde obezlerde yapılan çalışmalarda dışa yönelim ve içe yönelimle ilgili bozuklukların; DEHB, depresyon bozukluğu olanlarda da aşırı kilolu olma ve obezitenin arttığını gösteren çalışmalar vardır [6-8, 67, 68]. Toplum örneklemli bir çalışmada ailenin doldurduğu GGA'ya göre akran sorunları ile BKİ arasında pozitif bir ilişki bulunmuş; kızlarda emosyonel sorunlar, erkeklerde davranım sorunları ile BKİ arasında ilişki tespit edilmiştir [14]. Ancak BKİ ya da aşırı kilolu/obez olma ile ruhsal sorunlar arasında hiçbir ilişki bulmayan [9,10] ya da akran sorunları dışında hiçbir ilişki belirlemeyen toplum örneklemli çalışmalar da vardır [69].…”

“…Çocukluk çağında obezitenin içe yönelim semptomlarıyla bağıntılı olduğuna dair hem kesitsel hem de izlemsel çalışmalardan elde edilen kanıtlar mevcuttur [12]. Normal BKİ olan olgulara göre aşırı kilolu/obez erkeklerde dışayönelim sorunları; kızlarda da içeyönelim sorunları daha fazla görülmektedir [13,14]. Türkiye'de ise çok az sayıda araştırma bu ilişkiyi incelemiştir.…”

Nutritional status indicator and its correlation with mental health score among adolescents in Islamic boarding schools

“…This result was in line with previous studies that found higher BMI (body mass index) was predictive of higher total difficulties and emotional scores. 30,31 Adolescents with overweight will attract attention to their surroundings and often develop a poor self-image, which can lead to being bullied by their peers. 11 Thus, it may result in emotional problems among them.…”